What's In A Nickname?

Do you have any nicknames? I have several. My dad calls me Kriseleven and Girl-Kid. Kyle calls me Cutie. My friends from highschool call me Krys...I've gone through a few random nicknames that were based on whatever phase I was going through at the time, but one thing was pretty consistent...nicknames were only given by people I was particularly close to, or there was a particular affection between us. Sometimes the nicknames given were only known to those who used them. But one thing was always true - these nicknames, however cheesy they may be, made me feel special. People don't give nicknames to just anyone...

Last week on my way to work, I was listening to Air1 and they played an audio clip of Aaron Shust (great artist!) reading one of his favorite verses. Revelation 2:17 reads, "To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." At the time I thought, "Huh...wonder why that's one of his favorite verses...eh, whatever. Oh hey, I like this next song!" and that was that. Then today I was driving home from work, listening to MercyMe's song, "When You Spoke My Name" and it brought that verse to mind. The two aren't actually related, but allow a little thought-hop and bear with me. "To him who overcomes, I will...give him...a new name...known only to him..." When we get to heaven, we get nicknames! Of course I've heard the new name concept explained as a representation of the death of the old self and such, but think of it this way too: like I said, nicknames aren't given by or to just anyone...and sometimes they are only known by those who use the nickname. Here, Jesus says that He will only give these new names "to him who overcomes," and it will be "known only to the one who receives it." Sounds like a pretty special name, huh? A nickname, a special just-between-us name from God! Now that's a name I can't wait to hear:)

"Cause when You spoke my name,
Oh I swear the angels sang.
Peace came and stole my shame,
when You spoke my name."
-MercyMe